California or Bust
by earth warrior
Summary: When Coco is accepted to be a contestant on a game show, it sends the Foster's gang on a 3,000 mile trip accross the country to Hollywood, California. Warning: contains disturbing things such as the Tellietubbies and Bloo on karaoke night! Flames welcome!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own FHIF, Who wants to be a millionaire, Applebee's, Greyhound bus, All grown up, or the movie Psycho, though I wish I did

**Disclaimer: I don't own FHIF, Who wants to be a millionaire, Applebee's, Greyhound bus, All grown up, Tellietubbies, or the movie Psycho, though I wish I did. (note: a lot of the stuff that I do not own is not in this chapter it will come soon)**

**Flames are welcome! ******

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**California or Bust: by earth warrior**

**Chapter 1**

**"Miss Frances and Miss Coco, I have said this once and I will say it again: no," Mr. Harriman stated bluntly, straightening out his already painfully stiff jacket, "We simply cannot go traipsing around the country anytime we feel like it. Especially not for something as silly as a game show"**

**"But Mr. Harriman," Frankie pleaded, "it's for a good cause, and-"**

**"Good cause?!" he scoffed, "I'll have you know, there is no cause good enough that would justify taking all of the house occupants to… Hollywood, California, of all places. Furthermore, Miss Coco had no right to apply to be a contestant on Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars. Just because by some miracle they decided to let her on the show does not mean that I can not veto this ridiculous proposition."**

**Mr. Harriman paced in his bunny-hop way in front of the two chairs which seated the very exasperated Frankie and Coco.**

"**Coco co coco cococo." **

**"I don't care if it's for the sake of fan fiction!"**

"**Coco coco co co coco cocococo coco co coooco."**

**"I don't care that Earth Warrior will have nothing to write about if I don't say yes!"**

**"Look, Mr. H," Frankie interjected, "how about this: we'll do everything exactly the way you want and if Coco wins, she'll donate some of the money to Foster's?" Mr. Herriman stood there for a moment contemplating this. The house definitely could use the funds. But what if Coco didn't win? They could end up going all the way out to California for nothing. He turned back to the eager duo about to give the deciding vote of 'no', when suddenly there was a huge crash and a stitched white baseball slammed through the window of Mr. H's office and several neighborhood kids started running for their lives down the street in fear of getting caught. Mr. Harriman mentally calculated the damage at… a lot. Much more than they had when you took in account the expenses that came with having a home for imaginary friends.**

**"Oh… fine," he said. Mr. Harriman suddenly had a strong feeling that he was going to regret this, "tell everyone to be ready to leave by tomorrow morning. When do we have to be at the studio by?"**

**Coco looked at the floor suddenly finding it to be very interesting. This was the part that he was going to hate the most. "co co," she whispered.**

**"ONE WEEK?!" He demanded, starting to hyperventilate in that comical way that only he could pull off. **

**Frankie gave Coco a tortured glance. "It's not that bad! We can do it. I'll go tell the friends to get ready," and with that they left before Mr. H could say one word about it. **

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**That day, word spread about Coco being on Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars next week. All the friends talked about how great it was going to be when they got to be in a** _live studio audience. _

**One of the friends was especially excited. "We're going to Hollywood, we're going to Hollywood, we're going to Hollywood!" sang Bloo. He did his signature, patented victory dance and sang the four words so many times that everyone at Foster's wanted to punch him; than again, people wanted to punch Bloo on a regular basis, so the dirty looks that everyone was giving the annoying blob were nothing new to him. "We're going to Hollywood, we're-"**

**"Bloo, shut up!" yelled Mac, "I know that this is a big deal for you, but seriously, it's getting a little annoying."**

**"That's the understatement of the century," muttered a random imaginary friend who happened to be walking by.**

**"Hey!" he yelled at the friend, who was already long gone by the time Bloo realized what he meant. Bloo muttered something inaudible than continued, "But, Mac, aren't you even a little bit excited? I mean we're going to**_ Hollywood, _**for crying out loud! Home of all the big movie stars. I want to meet Rod Tango!" he sighed, remembering how totally awesome it had been when Rod literally threw him out of his new movie premiere. **

**Mac gave his friend a wry smile, "okay, I am a little excited… correction, very excited. I'm just worried that we won't make it there in time. I mean trying to travel 3,000 miles across the country, by bus, with a house full of imaginary friends, one of whom happens to have a knack for getting into trouble-"**

**"I am very good at that, aren't I?" Bloo interrupted.**

**"Anyway…" Mac continued, "trying to do all that while still getting to the studio one week from tomorrow is going to be kinda hard, don't you think?"**

**The small blue blob considered this, putting on his best 'thinking face' and replied, "according to my calculations of pi squared times y to the fifth dimension, I believe that there is a 1 in a gazillion and twelve hundredths chance that we will get to California in 15.3 years." Bloo's expression was smug as he said this. He figured that if you sounded like you knew what you were talking about than you suddenly would (or, if nothing else, you'd seem smart).**

**Mac rolled his eyes. "You never were very good at math, were you, Bloo?" Bloo was about to come back with some sassy remark, but was interrupted when Wilt and Eduardo came in with their usual greetings.**

**"Are you guys packed yet?" Wilt inquired cheerfully. Mac nodded and Bloo shrugged, picking off a scab on his arm, which, it was safe to assume, meant that he hadn't even thought about packing.**

**"I'll help you pack later, Bloo" Mac said, than turning back to Wilt and Eduardo, "Why, are you?" Wilt and Eduardo exchanged glances.**

**Eduardo held up his hand in a 'more or less' gesture. "But we are definitely doing better than last time," he replied optimistically. Everyone except Bloo shuddered at the thought of their last at a trip: the one to Europe, which didn't exactly go as planned.**

**"Hey, you guys, quick question," Bloo, who obviously had not been paying much attention to the conversation said, "why do they call those things that heat water 'hot water heaters'? I mean I get what they're for but it's a major misnomer. Seriously, who would want to heat hot water? That's just stupid!" The others sighed at Bloo's randomness, and walked away. "Wait!" he called after them, "was it something I said?!" **

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**It will definitely get better in the next chapter. I think I'll probably post again soon. Very soon. Everyone who reviews gets an invisible chocolate cupcake with lots of sprinkles******


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Foster's or any other stuff that other people own

Now, let's get back to the story!

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**"All right," Frankie said, rubbing her eyes and yawning. It was four a clock in the morning, and the sun hadn't even started to peak out over the horizon. Frankie was pretty sure that there wasn't one person who wouldn't have rather been asleep in bed at this moment rather than getting on the infamous multi-colored bus, herself included. She waited for a moment as the last of the house residents stumbled on to the bus and took their seats. "As I hope you all know, right now we're starting in Colombia, South Carolina. I've already booked us a hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas. This means that we have to keep going 'till we get to right here," Frankie pulled out a map and pointed to Arkansas. There were more than a few groans as everyone mentally judged the distance. "You guys can talk, or play games **_in your seats,_**" this last comment was directed towards Bloo, who gave her an innocent look than started to glance around the bus as if wondering who she was talking about. "Just try to keep the noise down, okay?"**

**"Okay," the group chorused in bored voices. She smiled than paused and started to look around, with a confused expression on her face. "Uh… who has the map?" No one raised their hand but some of the friends snuck glances at the others when they didn't think that anyone was looking. **

**Suddenly Bloo said, "Sorry Frankie, I have it right here." the little blue imaginary friend waived the map around wildly in the air as proof. Frankie was immediately relieved that she wasn't going to have to navigate her way across ten states with no help at all. She reached out for the map but Bloo pulled it away at the last minute. **

**"No!" he shouted, "I wanna be the terminator!"**

**"You mean 'navigator'?" Mac asked from his seat next to Bloo.**

**Bloo thought for a moment, turning the words over in his head. Then he realized that he really didn't care how it was pronounced and shook his head indifferently. "Whatever. Please, Frankie." Bloo pleaded, giving the caretaker his cutest look. Frankie bit her lip nervously then nodded. Bloo cheered, pumping his stub of an arm in the air, narrowly avoiding punching Mac. "I can't believe how great this is. I, Blooregard Q. Kazoo am this bus's lifeline. I'm the only thing in the way of us ending up totally, completely, and irreversibly lost!" Bloo turned the map around a few times, "Hey, can anyone tell me which way is up on this thing?"**

**Frankie's eyes went wide as saucers as she considered all the horrific possibilities, shuddering at the worst of them: ending up in a restaurant on karaoke night. That would be awful! If that ever happened, she'd kill Bloo, than bring him back to clean up the mess. Frankie turned around and went back to the driver's seat, but not before muttering to Mac "I'm depending on you to keep that from happening". She put the bus in reverse and pulled out of the driveway. They weren't even halfway down the road when… "99 boxes of Raisin-bran Crunch, if you're nice I'll give some to you! Take one down and pass it around; 99 boxes of Raisin-bran Crunch! 98 boxes…"**

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_4 hours later_

"… **negative 173 boxes of Raisin-bran Crunch!"**

**"Bloo!" Frankie yelled, "That's enough. Okay, I'm almost at the Lee-Way Apple Orchard. When I get to the stoplight which direction should I go? Left or right?" **

**"Left"**

**Frankie glanced back at Bloo through the rearview mirror. He was doing a handstand on the seat, propped up by the window he was leaning on. "Bloo, don't you think you ought to… I don't know, maybe **_look at the map or something?!_**" Bloo shrugged, something very hard to do when you're in a handstand. "No way, Frankie. I know exactly what I'm doing. They don't call me 'navigator Bloo' for nothing."**

**"They don't call you 'navigator Bloo' at all, Bloo" Wilt pointed out. **

**"Whatever. I'm still totally awesome." They traveled down the road for a few more hours until…**

**"Bloo! I don't believe you! This is awful!"**

**Frankie slammed her foot on the brake. Bloo, who was standing up in his seat, fell over into the isle of the bus. "What did you do?" she demanded, "Mac, what did he do?"**

**"He got us lost!" Mac yelled.**

**Bloo sat up and leaned on the seat on the other side of the isle. "I did not get us lost! Just look at the map. We're going the right way" Bloo grabbed the map from Mac and showed them what he had done. Frankie looked from Bloo to the map and back again, in total shock. "BLOO, YOU'VE BEEN READING THIS THING UPSIDE DOWN!"**

**"Oops"**

**"Yeah, 'oops'. We've been going the wrong way for three hours." All of the bus's occupants started to panic, except for Frankie and Mac, who were angry beyond K+ words at Bloo, and Bloo, who was more worried about how much trouble he was going to be in rather than how they were ever going to get back on track.**

**Suddenly Eduardo (who has barely spoken at all in this fic) said "Hey, look, there is some people on the sidewalk. Maybe they could give us directions". Everyone turned to see none other than the Lala and Poe from the Tellietubbies waddling down the side of the road in that creepy, gay way that they have, watching MTV on their stomach screens. Before the Tubbies could get too far, Mac and Bloo opened the bus door and shouted "Wait!". **

**Lala and Poe quickly walked back to the side of the bus. Lala gave them a toothless grin "Ifhucl. Rugggmiluttish estchu?" Lala said. The strange language sounded as if someone had taken every accent, language, and dialect, and put them all in a blender set on pulverize.**

**Mac and Bloo exchanged glances. This was turning out to be harder than they thought. Mac cleared his throat and said slowly "Uh, can you tell us how to get to Lee –Way Apple Orchard?" If they could get back to the place where they'd made their first mistake, maybe they might be able to get back on track again. The Tellietubbies looked at Mac as if he'd been speaking a foreign language, which, coincidentally, he was. Bloo rolled his eyes. He stood up straight, like a tree and put his arms out like branches. "t-reee-z" he said emphasizing each syllable as if he was talking to infants. "Apple trees!" Poe smiled and nodded to show that she knew what he meant. **

**"Orrgien schnief." Poe said**

**"Nangie! Troueeoffl rqpongga." Lala argued.**

**They disputed for a while until they finally seemed to agree on something. "Hiyghdduex jbp." Poe made motions to show which directions to go. Left, then right, then two more lefts and hopefully they'd be at Lee-Way's. **

**"Thanks." Mac said. The Tellitubbies nodded and walked away, singing in their own language to a Green Day song. Bloo closed the bus door and they both told Frankie about their encounter with the Tubbies. However, they 'accidentally' left out the part about how neither of them could understand a word that Lala or Poe was saying. **

**"Allright," Frankie said reluctantly, "I guess all we can do now is follow their directions." She started up the bus and all was silent as they drove away into the night.**

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Can you guess where the Tellitubbie's directions will take them? Please, please, please, please, please, please**, **please review! I can't improve if I don't get any constructive criticisms. By the way, next chapter will be the long awaited (not really) karaoke night chapter!! If anyone has any song ideas, tell me, via reviews. I'm not promising I'll use your suggestion (especially if I don't know the song, which might be the case) but I would really appreciate your ideas.

Love,

Earth Warrior


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the 'California or Bust' plotline.

Anyway…

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**"Applebee's?!" Frankie yelled, "they gave us directions to Applebee's? What kind of a sick joke is this?" They were standing outside of the large, well known chain restaurant, staring up at the sign with its nearly burnt out bulb, wondering what to do. It was nearly 10:00 at night, the bus was almost completely out of fuel, and all the imaginary friends were complaining that they needed to use the restroom or that they were hungry or both.**

**Bloo studied his nearly pitch-black surroundings. "Hmmm. Applebee's, apple trees, I guess I could see how they might have made that mistake. Whatever, let's eat!" Bloo started to head inside but Frankie picked him up right off the ground and put him with the rest of the group.**

**"Not so fast, Bloo." The caretaker said, "No one is going anywhere, till I figure out where we are."**

**"Might I suggest a map Miss Frances?" Mr. Harriman hopped over, map in hand. **

**Frankie groaned and rubbed her temples. She was definitely getting a headache from all this nonsense. "Mr. Harriman, a map can't tell you where you are unless you know what roads you've taken. We're lost. Until we can get un-lost that map is completely useless." Mr. Harriman crossed his arms over his chest, offended. **

**"Frankie" the little blue friend tugged at the hem of her skirt to get her attention, "why don't we just go inside, get something to eat and find out where we are." Frankie was genuinely surprised. That just might have been the smartest thing Bloo had ever said. She nodded then shouted to the group. "Okay, guys, we're going to go into Applebee's but, remember, no shouting, throwing food, use proper table manners, don't talk to strangers unless I'm around, and please," she said with a pleading look, "let's not repeat last month's dinner outing all right?" Frankie did a quick 360 to find that most of the group was actually paying attention. The only problem was that the few people not paying attention (aka Bloo and his friends) were actually the ones whom the advice was directed towards. **

**Then without waiting for permission Bloo ran into Applebee's yelling "I can't take this anymore!", followed by Mac who was shouting at Bloo to stop screaming like a three year old having a temper tantrum.**

**Inside was a dimly lit room with lots of wooden tables and chairs, with a large stage against the back wall. The restaurant workers were more than a little frightened to see so many… odd looking customers walking through the doors in single file, led by a determined 22 year old. "Table for 56 please." She said.**

**"Uh…right this way ma'am," came the reply. The short, dark-brown haired waitress led them to several huge tables, "I'm sorry ma'am but we don't have a table big enough to seat all of you at once." Frankie split the group up into three sections. She was in charge of the table that she was at, Wilt was in charge of his table, and Mr. Harriman was in charge of the third. Bloo, Mac, Eduardo, and Coco all ended up a Wilt's table. Everyone ordered, Bloo ordering a stack of food that was at least twice his size, muttering that it wasn't going to be enough (though whether he meant to eat, or for some other diabolical purpose, no one cared to know). **

**In the middle of diner, a tall man who looked to be in his thirties and had a strange plastered smile on his face got up on stage and turned on the mike. Everyone hissed and covered their ears as the microphone screeched at an unbearably high pitch. Only the man up on stage, Joel, his name tag said, didn't even flinch, still smiling as though he hadn't even heard it. **

**"Welcome to the weekly Applebee's karaoke night, I'm your host, Joel. Does anyone want to go first?" Bloo jumped on the table, waived his arms in the air, and shouted "Me! Me! Pick me!" Frankie slid down in her seat, trying not to be seen. There was nothing that Frankie hated more than singing in front of people. Joel scanned the room, zero-ing in on the redhead. **

**"How about you?" He said. Frankie gingerly turned around to look at him. "Me?" she squeaked. "Uh, no thanks, I don't really sing much. I'm tone deaf and I, uh have this disease that makes it impossible for me to um…" Her voice trailed off. As she was speaking, Joel had yanked Frankie out of her seat and practically forced her up on stage. Now she stood there, mike in hand, completely unsure of what to do. **

**"What are you gonna sing, lady?" He whispered to her. Before Frankie could reply, Bloo ran over and whispered something to Joel. If Frankie hadn't been so nervous, she probably would have noticed the evil grin on Bloo's face that could only mean that he was up to something he shouldn't be. But she wasn't, so she didn't. Joel shrugged and put in the disk, as Bloo went back to his seat, snickering the whole way. The familiar happy music started to play, and Frankie began mentally cursing Bloo to an eternity in hell. The words flickered on to the TV screen and she began to sing: **

_Come my little friends as _

_We all sing a happy little _

_Working song, merry little_

_Voices clear and strong_

**By this time all the imaginary friends were trying to stifle laughter, watching the girl who they had known since she was little, and who was always – well, almost always – a responsible caretaker and role model to the friends, up on stage making a total fool of herself, slaughtering the song that they had all kind of liked until then. **

_Come and roll your_

_Sleeves up so that we can_

_Pitch in, cleaning crud up in_

_The kitchen as we sing along_

**Bloo got up out of his seat and, to the shock of everyone started yelling "Booooo! Get off the stage, Frankie!!"**

_And you'll trill a cheery tune_

_In the tub as we scrub a _

_Stubborn mildew stain lug a _

_Hairball from the shower _

_Drain to the gay_

_Refrain of a happy _

_Working song_

**At the words 'lug a hairball from the shower drain' Frankie successfully grabbed Bloo up, mid-rant, and tossed him out an open window. She was noticeably happier through the rest of the Bloo-free song:**

_We'll keep singing _

_Without fail_

_Otherwise we'd _

_Spoil it_

_Hosing down the garbage_

_Pail and scrubbing up the _

_Toilet. Ooh!_

**The audience members giggled to hear her squealing about toilets, but by that point, Frankie didn't seem to care much any more. She rushed through the rest of the song, always a beat or two ahead of the music:**

_How we all enjoy letting_

_Loose with a little La- Da-_

_Da- Dum- Dum_

_While we're emptying the _

_Vacu-um_

_It's such fun to hum a _

_Happy working song, Oooh_

_A happy working song!_

**The audience clapped politely as Frankie thrust the mike at Joel and sat down. Bloo came in right then, bruised and covered in twigs. He sat down next to Mac and muttered "Geez, what's her problem?"**

**Mac stared at his little blue friend in disbelief, "Bloo, you tried to boo her off the stage. I think her actions were pretty justified." A random guy got up and started to sing the "My little pony" theme song. "**_My little pony, my little pony, you'll always be in my heart"_**. **

**"Oh." Bloo whispered. "Hey, as soon as this guy****is finished singing, you wanna go up with me, Mac?"**

**Mac looked at the ground, unable to come up with an excuse why he couldn't. Frankie had already used the 'I have a disease that prevents me from doing it' excuse, and it hadn't helped her much. "Oh…okay." He agreed reluctantly. Bloo whispered something to Mac who replied "No way, Bloo, that song was terrible the first time it was sung."**

**"No it wasn't! It was totally awesome, now come on." The pony guy was just finishing up the song when Mac and Bloo raced up on stage and grabbed the mike from Joel. They told him the song and began as the music started, not even pausing to look up at the TV screen – they knew this song by heart: **

_Bloo: Go pack your bags _

_ And grab your mules_

_Mac: You're all invited, _

_ Let's carpool_

_Bloo: If you stay behind,_

_ You'll be the fool_

_Both: California or Bust!_

_Mac: Can't wait for terra incognita_

_Bloo: But don't forget to wipe your feet'a!_

_Mac: These golden shores they could be neat'a_

_Both: California or Bust!_

_Bloo: We'll blaze a trail across the land_

_ Won't stop 'till we see sun_

_ And if we're out of firewood_

_ We'll burn dry bison dung!_

**Some of the audience members who had begun to clap in time to the beat, stopped when he sang that part. **

_Mac: Go west young girls_

_And don't look back now_

_Bloo: I'm on my way sir, after thou_

_Wilt: (from offstage) Any one mind if I bring my cow?_

_Both: California or Bust!_

**At this point the song was basically over, and Joel came up to shoo them both off the stage. Mac started to leave but Bloo grabbed his arm and they both started to do the cann-cann, while at the same time, dodging Joel who was chasing them around the stage, muttering curse words, with that creepy grin still plastered on his face. When Mac and Bloo were at the very edge of the stage (still dancing) one of them accidentally tripped. Before they even knew what was happening, the two kids were laying, face down, on a round table, right in a customer's dinner! **

**"Bloo," Mac muttered, pulling his face out of someone's half-eaten pasta, "I hate you. I really do." The customer started shrieking hysterically, saying that they were going to make sure that this restaurant was closed forever, and that they were going to call their lawyer as soon as they got home. **

**Bloo spit out a piece of spinach, and yelled, "Wait a minute. Me?! You were the one that tripped, tripper!"**

**"No way," Mac retorted "It was you." Bloo took a nearby bowl of clam chowder and poured it on his friend's head. Mac grabbed some of the pasta and threw it at Bloo. You can see where it went from there. Both of them started to argue, while taking food off of tables, and dumping it on each other, and having a full-blown wrestling match on the table. **

**The shocked customers were yelling and trying to get away from the crazy kids fighting on the table. Frankie groaned, thoroughly embarrassed. "You guys!" She shouted at Mac and Bloo as soon as she pushed her way through the crowd. "You better stop this right now or I'll…" since her speech obviously wasn't working she tried a different tactic. Force. Together, her and Wilt managed to pull the still screaming pair apart. **

**"Ugh," She was holding on to Mac who was covered from head to foot in all different kinds of foods. Bloo wasn't much better. After they stopped yelling at each other, Frankie gave both of them dagger-eyes, hastily paid the enormous bill, and gathered up the group. **_Well, that's one more restaurant that we can never go back to._

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Sorry it took me so long to post, I've had a ton of homework lately. Homework sucks doesn't it? Yes, it does.

In case you were wondering, I actually did not make up the California or Bust song. I got it off of a TV show. (I didn't make up the other song either, but you all could probably figure that out on your own.)

By the way, thanks so much to Scharr Ikor, for your awesome song idea. An invisible chocolate cupcake with lots of sprinkles goes to you!

As always, read and review!

Love,

Earth Warrior


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Foster's… so stop asking!

But I do own… thinks for a long time… I don't own anything!

So let's get back to the story and the characters that I do not own, and probably never will 

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**After the dinner fiasco Frankie managed to obtain directions from a semi-reliable, slightly drunk, but more importantly, non-tellitubbie character and was able to maneuver the bus all the way to the hotel in Arkansas. In the dark. At three AM. **

**Room arrangements were made and the rest of the night passed with only minor disasters and mayhem. They left a few hours later than they had the day before, hoping to get to Tucson, Arizona by the end of the day. Of course, Bloo had begged Frankie to let him have another try at using the map. And of course, Frankie couldn't say no fast enough. The very ticked off blue blob was officially banned from having anything to do with the map. She put Wilt in charge of giving her directions, and he did a pretty good job of it, except that he was constantly apologizing whenever he pronounced something wrong.**

**Now, for the sake of speeding things along, we'll just say that on the fourth day, the occupants of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends made it to California. **

**"Are we there yet?" Bloo asked for the 37th time that hour (and it was only 9:06). **

**"Bloo, what did I tell you the last time you asked me?" Frankie asked.**

**There was no answer for a moment because Bloo had turned to face the window and made a weird face at another driver who ignored him completely. "You said 'no'"**

**"Exactly. When we're there, you'll see a huge sign that says-"**

**"Hollywood?" Bloo asked. Frankie nodded, wondering how he knew that. Then she saw the huge blinking sign and the answer was obvious. "We're here!" Someone yelled, and suddenly the whole bus broke out singing "Hooray for Hollywood" totally off key.**

**Frankie parked the bus in front of the Holiday Inn and went inside to check in. She walked up to the front desk in the spacious lobby. There sat a Hispanic woman, reading a magazine, who didn't really seem to like her job very much. She kept looking at her watch, counting down the minutes till her shift was over. "Excuse me," Frankie said. The woman paid no attention to the confused redhead. Sitting on the desk was a little bell that said 'ring for service' on it. Frankie pushed the button on it and the Holiday Inn worker droned "Welcome to Holiday Inn. I'm Maria. How can I help you?" **

**"Um… well, a few days ago, I made reservations here and-"**

**"Last name." Maria took a piece of gum out of her purse and popped it into her mouth.**

**"Foster" Frankie answered, "my name is Frances Foster. I reserved 13 rooms."**

**Maria looked down at her papers and sighed. "I'm sorry. We've accidentally overbooked. There are no rooms available at this time. Have a nice day." **

**"Wait, what?!" Frankie yelled. Why is it that anything that can go wrong, does? "But I reserved these rooms a week ago! Where else am I supposed to go?" At Frankie's outburst, a man who bore a strong resemblance to Joel came up to her. "Is there a problem here? My name is Cole, and I'd be glad to help in any way I can."**

**"Wait a minute." Frankie held up her hands and he stopped talking, "Didn't I just see you three days ago at an Applebee's in Arkansas?"**

**Cole looked at Frankie as if he was considering taking her down to the looney-bin. There was a silence before Cole answered with a laugh "Oh, you must be talking about my twin brother, Joel. He works there. Yeah, Joel called me… about three days ago, actually. He said that there was this kid and a little blue imaginary friend who had a huge food fight right on the tables." Cole laughed, remembering what Joel had said. Frankie, meanwhile, was praying that he wouldn't get the connection. "Yeah, those two created an absolute mess. Some redheaded lady and a really tall imaginary friend had to pull them apart. Joel said that the woman obviously knew who they were, because she seemed really mad at them." Cole stopped and looked at Frankie more closely. "In fact… you look just like the girl Joel described…"**

**Frankie choked out a laugh, "Some coincidence, isn't it?" Then, as bad luck would have it, Wilt, Mac, and Bloo all came running into the hotel at that same moment carrying a large red bucket. **

**Cole looked from Frankie, to the party of three who had just entered, and back again.**

**"Uh, I don't know them" **_maybe, I could sneak them into one of the rooms when no one is watching…_

**"Hey Frankie!" Bloo yelled from across the lobby, "see what we found!" Bloo waived the bucket in the air and accidentally dropped its all contents onto the floor. "Oops." He muttered as about a hundred frogs of different shades of green started hopping around the expensive tile floor.**

**"We'll be leaving now," she promised, trying to hide her beet-red face from Cole. "Let's go guys." The others, who had taken up the impossible task of trying to gather up all the frogs, followed her into the bus.**

**"And leave the frogs Bloo."**

**!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()**

**Frankie drove into every hotel she could find, but none of them had enough rooms for everyone. "Just a minute," Wilt said, after apologizing for the 50****th**** time, "There's a place, right over there. I think it's called the Bates Motel." Frankie pulled the bus over. As she got off the bus Mac asked her "Frankie? This is going to sound stupid but wasn't there a horror movie about the Bates Motel?"**

**"Of course not." She replied, "And if there is, it's a complete coincidence."**

**"All right," Mac replied, still unsure, "But if there's a guy in there named Norman Bates, you'd better watch out" he advised. **

**Frankie closed the door to the bus and walked inside. She was met by a man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. "Hello, do you have any rooms available?"**

**"13," came the answer. **_Yes, finally._** "I'll rent them all, if that's okay." She said. Then, more cautiously "What's your name?"**

**"Norman Bates."**

**!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()!#&()**

Oh, cliff hanger! If you haven't seen the movie Psycho, it's about this crazy guy (Norman Bates) who kills people. Remember that Foster's episode "The Big Cheese" where Cheese stabs Eduardo with a carrot while Eduardo is in the shower? That scene was actually a much less violent version of a scene from Psycho.

Anyways… PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! I might die if you don't. Okay, not really. But still, just click that blue box in the corner and type something… please?

Love,

Earth Warrior


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